4: The burning of Blackrock City marked the beginning of a vast and open world.

The smell of blood in the secret dungeon chamber was so thick it was almost palpable.

Gu Yang gradually calmed down from his maniacal laughter, but the fierce glint in his eyes had not completely faded.

He lowered his head and looked at the headless wolf demon's corpse at his feet.

In the System's judgment, this was also 'booty'.

"Since it's a resource, not a single bit can be wasted."

Gu Yang squatted down, enduring the nausea, and fumbled around in the wolf demon's shattered chest cavity for a while.

Soon, his fingertips touched something hard and warm.

He pulled hard.

A crystal, only the size of a thumb, entirely blood-red, and emitting a faint red glow, appeared in his hand.

[Discovered a low-grade demon core (incomplete), containing violent demonic power. Can be directly exchanged for energy points, or used for forging and Alchemy.]

[Do you want to exchange? Estimated gain: 5 points.]

"5 points?"

Gu Yang raised an eyebrow.

Adding the 15 points awarded for the kill just now, plus the leftover change from before, if he exchanged this demon core as well, his energy points reserve would reach an astonishing 20 points or more!

For him, who was still a Mortal an hour and a half ago, this was simply a windfall.

"Keep it for now."

Gu Yang was not in a hurry to exchange it.

His Savage Bull True Body had already reached Perfection, and his physical fitness had reached a Bottleneck. Simply accumulating energy points would not bring about a qualitative change for the time being. It was better to keep this demon core; perhaps it would be useful later, or he could use it to exchange for worldly silver and Cultivation Techniques.

Putting away the demon core, Gu Yang stood up and looked around.

This secret chamber, along with the dungeon outside, was filled with evidence of the Fierce Tiger Gang colluding with demons and harming human lives.

Of course, it was also filled with traces of Gu Yang's killings.

"Although killing people isn't a big deal in this world, being targeted by the Fierce Tiger Gang headquarters or the Demon Suppression Division is still troublesome."

Although Gu Yang was reckless, he wasn't foolish.

Now, even though he could strut around the slums of Black Stone City, he was still no match for true behemoths.

If he attracted Martial Artists of the Viscera Refining Realm, or even higher levels, or more powerful demons, his nascent 'Path of Extremes' would likely be cut short.

"The best way to cover it up is to turn everything into ashes."

Gu Yang walked to the corner and picked up two buckets of lamp oil used for lighting and interrogation.

"Splash—"

The pungent lamp oil splashed onto the wolf demon's corpse, onto the corpses of Butcher Wang and others, and also onto those resentful human skins.

After doing all this, Gu Yang picked up a torch.

The firelight illuminated his massive two-point-one-meter-tall body, casting a huge shadow on the wall, like a demon god.

He glanced at this place that had imprisoned him for three days and almost made him food.

"Dust to dust, ashes to ashes."

"In your next life, get a good reincarnation. Don't come to this man-eating world again."

Whoosh!

The torch dropped to the ground.

Flames instantly soared, like a greedy fire snake, rapidly devouring everything.

Billowing black smoke, accompanied by a burning stench, surged out wildly through the dungeon's ventilation shafts and corridors.

Gu Yang turned around, carrying the blood-stained Mountain-Cleaving Saber, and strode out.

The raging fire burned behind him, as if it were the backdrop to his new life.

...

At this moment, the backyard of the Fierce Tiger Gang, outside the dungeon, was already in chaos.

"Fire! Fire!"

"Quick, put out the fire! The dungeon is on fire! Lord Ghost Face is still inside!"

Panicked shouts echoed through the night sky.

Although the heavy rain had just stopped, the fire in the dungeon was extremely fierce. With the lamp oil fueling it, flames had already shot out from underground, licking at the wooden buildings in the backyard.

A group of disheveled Fierce Tiger Gang members rushed towards the dungeon entrance with buckets of water.

However, just as they were about to reach the entrance, a huge dark figure emerged from the rolling thick smoke.

What kind of existence was that?

Over two meters tall, his entire body was muscled like molten iron, displaying a chilling dark golden color.

He was shirtless, and countless hideous scars shimmered faintly in the firelight (these were traces of muscle tearing and healing during his Breakthrough).

In his hand, he carried a heavy Mountain-Cleaving Saber that was still dripping blood. With every step he took, the ground seemed to tremble slightly.

"Who... who is it?!"

The leading minor boss subconsciously stopped and swallowed hard.

This terrifying oppressive aura was even more frightening than their gang leader's!

Could it be Lord Ghost Face revealing his true form?

Gu Yang stopped, his gaze indifferently sweeping over the group of gang members who usually threw their weight around.

If it were before, he would have bowed and scraped, eager to avoid them.

But now, he only felt that these people in front of him were too weak, too noisy.

"Those who block me, die."

Gu Yang's voice was low and hoarse, exploding in the night.

"It's not Lord Ghost Face! It's... it's a new face!"

"Brothers, kill him! He came out of the dungeon, he must be the one who started the fire!"

Although the minor boss was afraid, he yelled sternly, relying on their numbers.

A dozen gang members roared and charged forward, and flashes of blades and swords instantly enveloped Gu Yang.

A sneer of disdain curled on Gu Yang's lips.

"A bunch of ants."

He didn't use his saber.

Facing this group of nobodies who hadn't even started cultivating Savage Bull Strength, using a saber would be an insult to his current power.

Gu Yang merely took a step forward, his right shoulder sinking sharply, and he charged like an ancient savage bull!

Savage Bull True Intent — Brutal Charge!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A series of teeth-gritting bone-shattering sounds rang out.

The three gang members who rushed to the front were sent flying by his terrifying Physical Body before they could even touch Gu Yang's clothes!

As if hit head-on by a speeding heavy truck, their chests instantly caved in, and they died in mid-air, blood spurting wildly.

"What?!"

The remaining gang members were scared Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, stopping dead in their tracks.

Is this still a human?

Can he kill people just by charging with his body?

Gu Yang ignored their fear. Like a human tank, he strode straight through the crowd.

Anyone who stood in his way was casually swatted away with a slap, either dying or being severely injured.

He swaggered through the Fierce Tiger Gang's backyard, all the way to the main gate.

No one dared to stop him.

No one could stop him.

When Gu Yang walked out of the Fierce Tiger Gang's main gate and stepped onto the muddy streets of Black Stone City, the Fierce Tiger Gang's sub-branch behind him had already turned into a sea of fire.

Flames shot into the sky, illuminating half of Black Stone City.

In the early morning after the rain, the air carried a hint of earthy smell.

In the eastern sky, a touch of fish-belly white appeared.

Gu Yang stood on the empty street, taking a deep breath of the air that carried the scent of freedom.

Although the air was still mixed with the burning stench from behind him, to him, it smelled sweeter than ever.

To avoid attracting too much attention, Gu Yang activated the bone-shrinking technique of Savage Bull True Body.

With a series of crackling sounds, his height and physique changed slightly.

He casually 'borrowed' a wide black robe from a roadside clothing store and draped it over himself, covering his terrifying muscles and scars, leaving only a pair of cold eyes exposed.

At the city gate.

A few sleepy guards were dozing, leaning on their spears.

Seeing a tall figure wrapped in a black robe approaching, one guard was about to step forward to question him and demand an entry fee (it was the rule here to extort money even for leaving the city).

Gu Yang didn't speak.

He merely raised his head slightly, and the trace of Evil Qi that leaked out in that instant made the guard feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

That was the terrifying aura remaining after killing dozens of people, and even slaughtering a demon.

The guard's intuition told him: if he dared to ask for money, his head would be moved the next second.

"Sir... please."

The guard trembled as he stepped aside, even thoughtfully helping to push open the chevaux de frise.

Gu Yang tossed down a piece of broken silver (which he had found on Butcher Wang) and walked out of Black Stone City's gate without looking back.

He wasn't short on this bit of money, nor was it necessary to attract official pursuit over such a small matter. Although he wasn't afraid now, he found it troublesome.

Outside the city was an endless wilderness.

In the distance, the undulating Hundred Thousand Mountains lay across the land like a black Dragon, exuding a mysterious and dangerous aura.

Demons ran rampant there, but it was also full of opportunities.

Gu Yang tightened his grip on the Mountain-Cleaving Saber and strode towards that unknown wilderness.

Since this world doesn't let people live, since this city cannot hold justice.

Then I will go to the most dangerous places.

Kill the fiercest demons.

Add the wildest points!

This is my Dao.